Two Ravitches In One!!
Diane Ravitch has had it with celebrities openly discussing education policy because they don’t know anything about schools (read: express an alternate viewpoint).
Ugh, how awful must it be for public figures to talk about things in a free and open society. Kudos to Ravitch for bringing this horridness to our attention.
Ravitch has taken a similar position in the past with respect to celebrities nosing around issues related to our nation’s schools. For example, take when Ravitch called Matt Damon, “A Hero of American Education,” following Damon’s public appearances in support of status quo conditions.
In fact, so adamant was Ravitch about how celebrities shouldn’t comment on education that she vehemently defended Damon against the perceived hypocrisy of him exercising school choice with his own kids while advocating for a system that locks other kids into schools solely based on zip code.
At the end of the same August 12, 2013 blog post, Ravitch went so far as to say, “[Damon] is not only a hero on the big screen, he is a hero to millions of parents and teachers who need him.” Wow, sure told him off!
More recently, Ravitch took a similar anti-celebrity stance when discussing comedian Louis C.K.’s dabbling into the education debate, when C.K. publicly criticized the Common Core.
Wrote Ravitch, “Louis C.K. Takes Aim At Common Core – And We’re All Smarter For It.”
The absolute nerve of Louis C.K. talking about standards and testing prompted Ravitch to eagerly thank him for having such a positive impact on the national conversation surrounding Common Core:
“The standards and tests can be improved, but only if their advocates are willing to listen and think critically,” Ravtich wrote critically.
“Louis C.K. may have made that possible. Thanks, Louis.”
As anyone can plainly see, Diane Ravitch has consistently denounced any attempt by a celebrity to talk about education policy in an open forum.
Sort of.
Comments
Join the conversation
No comments at this time.